How reliable is the Lotus Esprit compared with other cars?

We do not publish a comparison for the Lotus Esprit, because the cars of this model that have been tested do not cover a wide enough range of ages and mileages. Its raw pass rate is 86.5% across 727 tests, but comparing a raw rate between models mostly ranks them by how new they are rather than how good they are. The failure and advisory patterns further down the page are still drawn from real tests and are worth reading.

What do testers most often warn about on a Lotus Esprit?

The most common advisory is "A tyre seriously damaged", noted on 8.0% of all Lotus Esprit tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.

What mileage does a Lotus Esprit usually have at its MOT?

The average odometer reading recorded at test is 54,381 miles. This is the mileage across all tested examples of every age, not an annual figure, so treat it as a description of the fleet rather than a target for one car.

Model reliability file

Lotus Esprit MOT pass rate & common failures

From 727 recorded MOT tests of the Lotus Esprit, published by DVSA.

Data updated 29 July 2026

Quick answer

Across 727 MOT tests, 86.5% of Lotus Esprit tests ended in a pass. This figure is not adjusted for age or mileage, so it is not a reliability ranking: the Lotus Esprit fleet does not yet cover a wide enough spread of ages and distances to compare it fairly against other models. Its most commonly recorded failure is windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, which appears in 13.3% of failed tests. Cars of this model average 54,381 miles on the odometer when tested.

At a glance

Recorded pass rate

86.5%unadjusted, not comparable727 tests

We are not publishing a ranking for the Esprit. The examples tested do not cover a wide enough spread of ages and mileages to compare it fairly, and an unadjusted pass rate mostly sorts models by how recently they were bought rather than how well they were built. The failure and advisory patterns below come from the same 727 tests and are worth reading on their own terms.

DVSA recorded wording

Most common failure items

Share of failed Lotus Esprit tests in which each item was recorded. One failed test often lists several items, so these do not sum to 100%.

1.Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen13.3%
11 occurrencesWiper or washer not working properly explained
2.Emissions levels exceed default limits12.0%
10 occurrencesEmissions above the permitted limit explained
3.The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements12.0%
10 occurrencesHeadlamp aim incorrect explained
4.Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement10.8%
9 occurrencesParking brake efficiency too low explained
5.Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen9.6%
8 occurrencesWiper or washer not working properly explained
6.Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake8.4%
7 occurrencesBrake binding or imbalanced across an axle explained
7.A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED8.4%
7 occurrencesHeadlamp not working explained
8.A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc8.4%
7 occurrencesSuspension joint dust cover missing or split explained
9.Emissions levels exceed the manufacturer's specified limits8.4%
7 occurrencesEmissions above the permitted limit explained
10.The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements7.2%
6 occurrencesHeadlamp aim incorrect explained

Warnings without a failure

Most common advisories

Share of all Lotus Esprit tests carrying each advisory. The denominator differs from the failure list above because an advisory can be issued on a car that passed.

1.A tyre seriously damaged8.0%
58 testsTyre damaged or deteriorated explained
2.Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users7.3%
53 tests
3.Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded6.6%
48 testsBrake pipe corroded explained
4.A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened5.9%
43 testsRoad spring broken or fractured explained
5.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements3.3%
24 testsTyre worn close to the legal limit explained
6.A wheel bearing with excessive play3.0%
22 testsWheel bearing has excessive play or is rough explained
7.Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured2.5%
18 testsBrake disc worn, pitted or scored explained
8.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn2.3%
17 testsSuspension arm bush worn explained

The rest of the record

Everything else recorded on the Lotus Esprit

The 18 other defects testers recorded on this model, beyond the most common listed above. Each links to what it means and what it takes to put right.

What gets tested

The Esprit fleet

Average mileage recorded at test: 54,381
Fuel mix of tested cars: Petrol100.0%

Trim names grouped into this model (4)

Recorded exactly as DVSA holds them. Trim-level names are rolled up so one model is not split across a dozen thin pages.

ESPRIT TURBO
ESPRIT TURBO SE
ESPRIT V8 GT
ESPRIT V8 TURBO

Check a specific Lotus Esprit

A model average tells you the pattern. Its own MOT record tells you the car.

Compare within the range

Other Lotus models

Lotus Elise — 86.1% unadjusted
Lotus Exige — 91.0% unadjusted
Lotus Elan — 77.3% unadjusted
Lotus Evora — 91.2% unadjusted
All Lotus models

Common questions

How reliable is the Lotus Esprit compared with other cars?: We do not publish a comparison for the Lotus Esprit, because the cars of this model that have been tested do not cover a wide enough range of ages and mileages. Its raw pass rate is 86.5% across 727 tests, but comparing a raw rate between models mostly ranks them by how new they are rather than how good they are. The failure and advisory patterns further down the page are still drawn from real tests and are worth reading.
What is the most common MOT failure on a Lotus Esprit?: The item recorded most often is "Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen", which appears in 13.3% of failed Lotus Esprit tests. Because one failed test can list several items, these shares do not add up to 100%.
What do testers most often warn about on a Lotus Esprit?: The most common advisory is "A tyre seriously damaged", noted on 8.0% of all Lotus Esprit tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.
What mileage does a Lotus Esprit usually have at its MOT?: The average odometer reading recorded at test is 54,381 miles. This is the mileage across all tested examples of every age, not an annual figure, so treat it as a description of the fleet rather than a target for one car.

How this was worked out

Method and limits

Figures come from the DVSA anonymised MOT testing dataset, published under the Open Government Licence. Only class 4 initial tests are counted: retests are excluded so a car appears once, and abandoned tests are excluded entirely. No adjusted rate is shown because this model's tested examples do not cover enough of the national age and mileage range for standardisation to mean anything.

An MOT measures whether a car met a legal standard on the day. It is not a breakdown record, a service history or a running-cost estimate, and a pass rate is a property of a fleet rather than a prediction about one car.